The Supergen ORE Hub provides ambitious research leadership and fosters collaboration to accelerate innovation across offshore wind, wave and tidal energy, driving the clean energy transition forward. Join our Annual Assembly to help define where research can best be targeted to unlock opportunities and growth.
Schedule
Annual Assembly
Wednesday 22 April 2026
- 09.00 - 17.00 (optional Lab Tour 17.10 - 18.10. Limited spaces.)
- University of Warwick, The Oculus Building, CV4 7AL
Additional Activities
Tuesday 21 April 2026
- Networking reception, The Oculus Building, 18.15 - 19.45
- Early Career Forum, all day
Registration has now closed. Any enquiries to supergenorehub@plymouth.ac.uk
Explore the Assembly Resources
Supplementary research presentations and resources here.
Programme
Assembly theme
Research and innovation to drive growth in the offshore renewable energy sector.
Welcome
09:00 - 09:20
Welcome and introduction - Prof. Deborah Greaves, University of Oxford & Supergen ORE Hub - Director
Keynote presentations
09:20 - 09:40
| Speakers: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Kedar Pandya | EPSRC | Executive Director - Strategy Directorate |
| Guy Arnold | Great British Energy | Deputy Director – Supply Chain Strategy and Delivery |
Panel Discussion and Q&A
09:40 - 10:40
Strategic collaboration for growth: Connecting the research landscape through innovation to accelerate commercialisation and deployment
Chair: Prof. Deborah Greaves, University of Oxford
| Panel Members | ||
|---|---|---|
| Prof. Henry Jeffrey | University of Edinburgh | Supergen ORE Hub Co-Director and Head of the University of Edinburgh's Policy and Innovation Group |
| Prof. Tim Stallard | University of Manchester | Supergen ORE Hub Co-Director and Professor of Offshore & Renewable Energy Engineering |
| Prof. Guilherme Castro | The Crown Estate | Offshore Wind Innovation Manager |
| Andrew Macdonald | Catapult ORE | Director - Development and Operations |
| Jim Fleming | EPSRC | Head of Energy Theme |
| Guy Arnold | Great British Energy | Deputy Director – Supply Chain Strategy and Delivery |
Networking Break
10.40 - 11.10
Refreshments and an opportunity to explore emerging research via the Early Career posters.
Spotlighting emerging research
11.10 - 12.10
Chair: Prof. Byron Byrne, University of Oxford
Quickfire presentations from:
| Quickfire presentations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Abigail Bateman | University of Southampton | Senior Research Assistant |
| Dr. Yang Yang | University of Plymouth | Research Fellow |
| Dr. Nijmeh Marouf | University of Oxford | PDRA |
| Dr. Burhan Yildiz | University of Liverpool | Post Doctoral Research Associate |
| Dr. Elias Arcondoulis | University of Southampton | Lecturer |
Followed by Research Presentations:
| Research talks | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Benjamin Williamson | University of Highlands and Islands | Associate Professor |
| Dr. Danny Coles | University of Oxford | Senior Research Associate |
| Dr. Katherine Kwa | University of Southampton | Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow |
| Prof. Will Coombs | Durham University | Professor |
Lunchbreak
12.10 - 13.10
Lunch and refreshments and an opportunity for networking around the research posters.
Panel Discussion and Q&A
13.10 -14.10
A whole systems approach: addressing climate and biodiversity challenges to achieve environmental, economic and societal benefits
Chair: Prof. Beth Scott, University of Aberdeen
| Panel Members: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Zoe Barnes | Everoze | Partner at Everoze. Chair of the UK Floating Wind Taskforce. Non-Executive Director of the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership |
| Dr. Mike Blair | The Crown Estate | Engineering Manager |
| Prof. Mark Inall | Scottish Association for Marine Science & Advisor to Scottish Government | Chief Scientific Adviser Marine for the Scottish Government. Principal Investigator, Scottish Association for Marine Science |
| Prof. Jonathan Sharples | University of Liverpool & the eSWEETS Project | Professor of Oceanography. Principle Investigator eSWEETS |
Spotlighting emerging research
14.10 - 15.10
Chair: Prof. Xiaowei Zhao, University of Warwick
Quickfire presentations from:
| Quickfire presentations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Emma Edwards | University of Oxford | Career Development Fellow |
| Dr. Christian Alberto Patino | University of Manchester | Postgraduate Dept of Electrical & Electronic Engineering |
| Dr. Omar Mahfoze | STFC-UKRI | Computational Scientist |
| Dr. Tim Tang | University of Manchester | Lecturer |
Followed by Research Presentations:
| Research talks | ||
|---|---|---|
| Maurizio Collu & Kasia Patryniak | University of Strathclyde | Professor & Post Doctoral Research Associate |
| Prof. Emilio Martinez-Paneda | University of Oxford | Associate Professor |
| Prof. Paul Fromme | University College London | Professor of Mechanics |
| Dr. Wei Tan | Queen Mary University of London | Reader in Mechanics of Materials |
Networking Break
15.10 - 15.40
Refreshments and an opportunity to explore emerging research via the Early Career research posters.
Panel Discussion and Q&A
15.40 - 16.40
An inclusive environment for innovation: Building the skilled, diverse and resilient workforce, alongside the infrastructure, supply chains, and public engagement needed to scale offshore renewables and drive sustainable economic growth.
Chair - Prof. Feargal Brennan, University of Strathclyde
| Panel Members: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Tim Pick | Offshore Wind Growth Partnership | Chair |
| Dr. Tusitha Abeyasekera | Vestas | Senior Specialist - Offshore Grid & P2X |
| Cheng Chen | NESO | Head of Offline Modelling |
| Úna Brosnan | Innovative Climate Solutions | Director |
Closing remarks and Early Career Researcher poster awards
16.40 - 17.00
.......................................................................................................................
Tour of the University of Warwick Labs (limited places)
17.10 – 18.10
A sign-up form will be available on the welcome desk on the morning of the Assembly. Please note that spaces are limited due to lab capacity and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
.......................................................................................................................
Keynote Speaker:
Dr Kedar Pandya
Executive Director for the Strategy Directorate - Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
Dr Kedar Pandya works in partnership with senior stakeholders across UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), government, industry, and academia to support research that addresses some of the biggest challenges of our time, from driving economic growth to delivering clean energy, and developing the disruptive new ideas and technologies that keep the UK at the cutting edge of engineering and physical sciences.
He has overall strategic leadership and financial oversight for EPSRC’s interests across most critical technologies, and clean energy and net zero. Kedar is Senior Responsible Owner for the Technology Missions Fund, bringing UKRI and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology expertise together across a number of critical technologies.
He is a member of the Alan Turing Institute Board and chairs the National Quantum Technologies Programme Board. Dr Pandya sits on the UK government’s Net Zero Innovation Board, working in partnership with Innovate UK, the Natural Environment Research Council and other government departments.
Keynote Speaker:
Guy Arnold
Deputy Director – Supply Chain Strategy and Delivery, Great British Energy
Guy Arnold is Deputy Director, Supply Chain - Strategy and Delivery for Great British Energy, the UK’s publicly backed clean energy investment company. In this role, he supports Great British Energy Director, Rob Gilbert, in shaping and developing a national supply chain strategy to enable the UK’s energy transition. Guy also oversees the Great British Energy’s Supply Chain Grant fund for offshore wind and networks, alongside the design and delivery of its competed and concessional funding for the supply chain.
Guy brings a decade of experience in government, supporting ministers to navigate high-profile policy challenges and designing and delivering major funding programmes. Through his work at the Cabinet Office and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, he has worked with industry, policymakers, and regulators to address national supply chain bottlenecks and accelerate clean energy delivery.
Registration has now closed. Any enquiries to supergenorehub@plymouth.ac.uk
The Annual Assembly is kindly hosted by the University of Warwick.
The Supergen ORE Hub is a collaboration of 10 leading UK Universities, well-positioned to provide cutting-edge research updates and convene key stakeholders to discuss opportunities and key challenges across the offshore renewable energy sector.
The Assembly is an in-person event, with access to recorded materials available after the event.
Open to all, this event brings together academics, industry professionals, and policymakers working across offshore wind, wave, and tidal energy.
Registration has now closed. Any enquiries to supergenorehub@plymouth.ac.uk
